The current global economy, despite being highly volatile at times, has produced a business environment in which many small to mid-sized businesses are thriving. However, along with the opportunities that are out there for these business owners comes an exceptionally high level of competition. Law firms are no exception to this growing level of competitiveness. This means that law firms must take the necessary steps to ensure that they remain competitive. There are a number of tools that are essential to every law firm that wants to be able to provide the highest level of service to their clients.
Below, you will find five tools that will help law firms become more efficient and effective in the manner in which they deal with their clients.
- Time Tracking Software
Any business that is built around providing client services is in need of effective tools that allow them to track and manage the time that they spend on each specific client. Law firms are no exception. The ability to track time allows the firm’s management staff to effectively create and maintain efficient and productive workflows. The last thing that a law firm needs is a system that does not provide responsive and timely service to their clients. Additionally, wasted time is not cost efficient.
- Billing and Finance Software
No matter how small a firm is, attempting to manually manage the accounts receivables and others financial responsibilities can lead to multitudinous errors in billing, as well as instances when certain receivables may fall through the cracks. Having billing and finance software will allow the firm to streamline the billing and finance process, while increasing the level of the accuracy at which financial tasks are carried out.
- Document Management and Client Communications
The evolution of work models that require more direct customer engagement and mobility. The need to have systems that allow the creation of a seamless document management process is vital to the ability to effectively manage the workflow. It is also extremely important that this system allows for effective client communication as well.
- Voice Recognition Software
When efficiency is paramount to producing timely, high-quality work, a good voice recognition system is essential to the staff at a law firm getting the most out of each day. Dragon NaturallySpeaking Legal 13 is a voice recognition software that is specifically designed for the unique functions associated with the legal field — allowing attorneys and other legal personnel to maximize the functionality of their computers — accurately and quickly. The firm’s staff will be able to dictate, format and edit legal documents, manage schedules, send emails and more — all through speaking commands.
- Network Accessibility
Whether the firm uses a cloud server, or chooses to opt for a Microsoft Small Business Server with an Exchange Server, it is imperative that the law firm provides their personnel with the capacity to access network data on the go. This provides the capacity to easily access information that is vital to a specific case in real time. This is an important element that is necessary to provide the highest quality of service.
It is important for firms to remember that they are not only providing a service, they are providing an experience, and the level of the experience that they provide will determine the level of customer loyalty they produce.
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes about technology and other gadgets and gizmos aplenty. She currently writes for Total Voice Tech, her go to for all professional Dragon products.